Pets rescued from Queens apartment fire being treated at BluePearl

NEW YORK — A Yorkshire terrier named Neo and a 2-month-old kitten named Echo are in intensive care at the BluePearl Veterinary Partners hospital in Queens following a fire Friday morning that killed three other pets.

Echo at the BluePearl hospital in Queens

“They’re the last thing I have of my mother’s,” Ebony Castro said of her two surviving pets. Her mother passed away recently.

Castro was at work as a waitress Friday morning when her brother called her to say a fire had broken out in the kitchen of their apartment in the 900 block of Onderdonk Avenue in Queens. He was home at the time but was not hurt. The New York City Fire Department responded to the fire but

Castro said the cause has not yet been determined.

Castro rushed home and took Echo and Neo to the BluePearl hospital in Queens. Paul Miranda, the hospital’s practice manager, said the pets are getting oxygen therapy because of the smoke inhalation they suffered, and will be monitored 24 hours per day until they are well enough to be released.

Echo before the fire.

“Our staff are working around the clock to get them the necessary treatment,” he said. He said Neo could be well enough to go home by Saturday, but Echo had suffered more damage from the smoke inhalation, and would likely need a couple of additional days of treatment.

National pet charity Frankie’s Friends is stepping in to raise money for Neo and Echo’s care, which is estimated to cost roughly $8,000. Frankie’s Friends is a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to families with pets who need lifesaving care. Those interested in contributing are encouraged to click here.

Castro is grieving over the loss of two Yorkie dogs, Celeste, 3; and Princess, 8; and a cat, Loki, 3, who perished in the fire. All her pets are extremely important to her and she said she is hoping for the best for Neo, 4, and the 2-month-old kitten Echo.